Measuring device suitable for diagnostic purposes



N. H. POLSKY Dec. 8, 1953 MEASURING DEVICE SUITABLE FOR DIAGNOSTIC PURPOSES Filed Oct. 25, 1951 A 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.3

J-nv lflkI IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-I-==== INVENTOR Nathan HP BY glsky ATTORNEY N. H. POLSKY 2,661,733 MEASURING DEVICE SUITABLE FOR DIAGNOSTIC PURPOSES Dec. 8, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 25, 1951 FiG.5

INVENTOR Nathan H. Polsky BY ATTORNEY na-br m. III

Patented Dec. 8, 1953 UNITED 1s PATENT OFFICE MEASURING-DEVICE -SUITABLE#FOR DIAGNOSTIC ronrosns Nathan-H. Polsky, LevittownjN. Y. Application ctober 25, 1951,Seria1--No.-253,011

"9 Claims. 1

"This invention relates generally to measuring devices suitable for diagnostic -or similar .purposes.

One of the objects of my invention is toprovide a device of the character described-having at least one probe-or detector memberadapted to contactively engage a selected surface of the skin of a, patient which it is .desired to explore for the purpose of diagnosis, in which. novel means are employed-for mounting said detector member whereby it will automatically adjust itself to variations in contour of the surface explored.

Another object of -.my invention is to v proyide a device of the character .described adapted for use as adiagnostic-instrument by chiropractors, osteopathic physicians and others, .havingprobe members-spaced apart -apredetermined distance for locating and measuring points of heat unbalance or temperature difierentialonor about selected areas .of the body, particularly those areas related to the spine-and nervous system,

in which each probemember will independently maintain good contact with a-selected body area regardless of ;the differences and irregularities of the surface contour of said selected :areas;

7 Still" another objectof myinventicn is to prov-ide a diagnostic and/or measuring devices-of the -:class described, having a pair of spaced probes, in which novel and improved -.means are provided forcontrollingandregulating the spac+ ing between the probes, so that'thesame -device v may be adapted for-use both with adults and children.

A further object of-my inventionis torprovide .adiagnostic or measuring-device of i the character described which :shall comprise relatively .few and 1-simple,,parts, which shall be easy to use, while being highly: precise and which shall :represent-ageneral improvement in the art.

- These and. other objects 1 and advantages of the invention will become apparent :Irom the following descriptionof a preferred embodiment :thereof as illustratedin the accompanying drawin s-iorming a part hereof, and inwhich, Fig. :1 is a plan view showi-ng'iasnovel and im proved diagnostic and/or measuringdeviceconstructed and arranged in accordance with my invention and illustrating the manner-oi its use in connection with the body 'of a patient;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device sho wn in'F s-Lapart iromthe pa-t nt s body;

Fig-53 is {a rightPhand filevational view of the .device shownin l igpl; v L I eFig. sis across-sectional viewtakensubstan:

.2 ,tially onplane 1-4 of Fig. 3, one of the probe units being .shown'sectio'ned whereas the other =.probe unit is shown in'elevation, for illustrative purposes; I p "Fig. L5 is a crossssectional view taken substantially on plane 3- 5 dfiFig-A 'Fig. 6 isv an .enlarged-crossesectional view taken substantially onsplaneffi-i- -fi of 4, that 15 to vsay, through one :ofthe probe units;

'7 is a perspective :view'of 'one of the thermocouple devicescarried by the probe units of Fig. -1, the thermocouple fbeing shown apart from the surrounding "supporting housings; v

.Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram "showing the circuit inwhich two thermocouples and an indicating or recording dnstrument are conneete. d; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional iew similar to that of. liligffi, but showing .a modified form of arrangement for mounting the detector housings; and

Fig. '10 is a view similar to Fig. 9,-bl1tqil-1QS" trating a universal :form of -mounting for the detector housing.

t n. shall des ribe my =i ventiones-o p oyed in connection with thedia nostic work of the chiropractor, Y osteopathic physician and gathers, it being -understood that: mydevice mayioe' .satis iactorilyputito otherxdesireduses. 7

It frequentlybecomes importantifor the chiropractor, physician, or others to determine whether certain-. paired locations =aboutri the :bcdy, which :shQIild normally be at :substantially the same temperature, rare .in. fact at different :temperatures. In checking spinal subluxations and temperatures along lthe spinal tcolumnian :linstrument .of reliable .accuracy and sensitivity is required. :It is necessary i to adjust the instrumentspro'bes or detectors intheinmutua-l spacing, so 5 that they will conform not only to "the spinal .breadth,.iso'ithatzdifterentiatiom may be arranged in :the spacing of the probes when :employing them upon a chi-ld, as contras'ted' to use upon an adult, -but also to :the shape and curvature of "the body and skin surface. The probes and their temperature sensitive"elements-shouldzglide smoothly -over "the -body, and adjust themselves so as to lie -directly against the skin, and i in :contact therewith,ior maximum effieiency and accuracy. 7

All these advantages are provided'bywthe-aise of my no l rde icein rde t -=und rst nd clea y thenn tu o my i en ion. and the te t m ans zio w-ce r I a-it out s rsnwmei' new-the had to the gdra in which-likerimeral s s note similar parts throughout the several views.

As shown, there is a main instrument housing 28 which may comprise front and rear walls 22 and 24, walls 26 and 28, and top and bottom walls 38 and 32, defining an interior housing chamber 34. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the chamber 34 may be rounded somewhat, to provide a seat for receiving the case of a suitable recording or measuring device, such as, for example a galvanometer instrument 36, the dial 38 of which is visible through the cover glass 48 thereof, an opening 42 being formed through front wall 22 of the main housing, to receive the instrument. The instrument 36 may have its dial graduated in any suitable mannenandpreferably on both sides of a central null or zero point,

so that the needle 44 of the galvanometer will come to rest at the null point shown in full lines in Fig. 1, when no current is flowing through the coils of the galvanometer.

' As seen in Figs. 3 and 5, the chamber 34 may have substantial thickness, so that the instrument body can be accommodated therein, and also, to fit comfortably in the hand of the user.

"As-seen in the drawings, the left and right side portions of the top wall 38 are cut away, to the left of curved line 46'and to-the right of curved line 48 as seen best'in Fig. 2,leaving only a web58 thereat. At the same time, the upperportions of the left and right end walls 26 and 28 of the main housing are cut awayabove lines or'locations 52 and 54, and'thus exposing openings 56 and 58 communicating with the interior cham interconnected with the instrument 36 and with each other in the manner shown in Fig. 8, so that their respective voltages are in opposition, that is to say, the positive leads 92 are interconnected, and the negative leads 98 are interconnected through the highly sensitive galvanometer 36. It will be understood that when the induced voltage in the right hand thermocouple unit of Fig. 8 exceeds that of the left hand thermocouple unit, current will fiow to the left hand thermocouple unit through the galvanometer, and the needle will swing to the right indicating that the right hand thermal unit is hot- 7 ter than the left hand unit. Similarly, when the her 34 of the main housing. In these two openlugs 56 and 58, I support the two probe or detector units 68 and 62. These two probe units 68 and 62 are alike, except that they are oppositely oriented, and Fig. 6 shows how both are otherwise constructed.

Each probe unit, such as 82, thus includes a main probe housing 64 formed of suitable material, such as metal, in the form of a hollow cylinder, having an axial bore 66. At the top end 68, a cylindrical thermocouple unit housing I8 is'disposed with a portion extending down inside the bore 66; a pair of inwardly oriented trunnions 12-and I4 having their inner ends penetrating into opposite sides of the housing I8 so as to support the same for pivotal motion about the common axis of the trunnions I2 and 14. The trunnions are carried into the housing 64, and may be integral with the housing 64, or pressed 'into'position through openings such as at 16 formed in the housing walls on opposite sides thereof. A thermocouple base or block I8 may be formed of suitable insulating material, such as glass, plastic, ceramic, or the like, of light weight, and may have an upper groove 88 formed in its upper surface 82. A number of thermocouples, formed of pairsof electrical conductors such as 84 and 86 of dissimilar metals welded together at the thermocouple joint 88; are disposed as shown in Fig. '7, with their thermocouple joints 88 allowed to depend or yield upon pressure into the groove 88, beingstretched thereacross. The several thermocouples are all interconnected as shown, so that the cumulative electromotive force of all forms the resultant voltage available across the two output terminals 98 and 92 of a single thermocouple unit.

The wires 98 and 92 are led through fine interconnecting spirals 94 and 96 which are very flexible to interfere as little as possible with free pivotal movement ofthe housing l8,--and are left hand thermal unit is hotter, by virtue of being in contact with a hotter area of the body,

then the currentlw-ill flow to the right, and the needle will swing to the left. The deflection of the needle will depend upon the constants and sensitivity of the galvanometer, this being a matter of choice.

The heat sensitive thermocouple block 18 may be seated in a filler of suitable materials such as insulating ceramic material I88, which allows the upper surface 82 to be exposed, together with all the thermocouple junctions 88 for direct contact with the skin of the patient. The filler material I88 may engage the inner surface of the cylindrical housing 18 in any suitable manner, so that the thermocouple block is movable only with the housing 18, and the space at the lower end of the housing Iiimay be filled with the same or other suitable filler material such as at I82, allowing the lead wires 98 and 92 to penetrate the same, however, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6.

An opening is formed in the side wall of the housing 64, as at I84, to allow the wires 98 and 92 to be conducted into the interior chamber 34 of the main housing, and a cover plate I86 may be secured over such openings, the plate I86 having smaller openings to allow the wires 98 and 92 to extend therethrough, and being secured over the openings in any suitable manner. Flexible bracket strips H8 and H2; are secured at their lower end portions to the inner surface II4 of the walls 26 and 28 respectively, by means of screws H6, the upper. goosenecked portions H8 of the strips I I8 and I I2 extend upwardly inside the lower portions of the cylinders 62 and 64, being secured thereto by means of screws I28 penetrat ing both the outer portionsof the goosenecks H8 and the wall of the cylinders 62 and 64. The goosenecks, being somewhat flexible, also are frictionally held in position, since they will be made so that the goosenecks are'somewhat larger normally than the inside diameter of the housings 62 and 64 and must be pushed inside.

Each gooseneck I I8 has an insulating terminal block I22 secured-thereto transversely under the arch of the gooseneck by means of the screw I24, and has transit bus connectors I26 and I28 which are connected in the wires 98 and 92,- allowing the electrical connection through the terminal block I22 without any wear on the wires. It is thus seen that each of the housings 68 and 62 is mounted resiliently in substantially upright position, being supported by the flexible metal brackets H4 as described, in the openings 56 and 58 of the main housing and so'as to project above the upper surface thereof in the manner of Figs. land 2.

It is thus seen from the above described construction that if the pr'obejswivels are in the yertical plane and the probes are moved in thevertical plane, they will automatically follow the are, 53. S LL by the' swivels hor liontal plan, and th'e deteqtgrs are moy njhe horio'ntal p laneftfien the detectors will automatically adjust and revolve thems'elves about the swivel-axis :to insure goodcontact with any irregularly curved surface m'tfieverucal plane. "I'hetemperature, v

the s em 5aii'd n-rem r 2 00 to itsnormal level position; 1pmdifffgfitial between two spaces location'sohjtlie u ys rfae 130 of the patient-{as in 't 'gion thiespiiral column, can 'tliii's be readily deter- I also provide a pair of fixed positioning plates I32 and I34, secured respectively to the inner wall surfaces I36 of the openings 56 and 58 of the main housing, by means of screws I38, and having resiliently bent-in upper portions I40, which bear against the side surface of each of the cylindrical housings 60 and 62, so as to press them against the rear surface I42 of the openings 56 and 58. The pressure and positioning plates I32 and I34 are provided with a series of arcuately laid out positioning holes I44 to receive the small positioning projection or pin I46 which projects out of and is movable with each of the cylinders 50 and 62 as shown. Thus, by pressing the plates I32 and I34 away from the cylinders and 62, their locating pins I46 are disengaged from the particular positioning hole I44 shown, and then the cylinders may be moved so as to register their pin I46 with any other desired opening I44 and for engagement therewith, so that the spacing between the heat responsive housings I0 may be varied in any desired fineness of graduated steps, and hence the device may be accommodated to adults or children, for diagnostic work thereon. Further, since the thermal heads I0 are supported so flexibly, being pivoted on pins I2 as shown, they will have their upper contact surfaces I60 constantly turning to present their full contact areas of their thermocouples against the skin, regardless of variations of contour of the body.

In Figs. 9 and 10 I have illustrated modified forms for mounting the detector housings 10.

In Fig. 9, it is seen that instead of using the conical inwardly pointed trunnions as shown at 12 and I4 of Fig. 6, I may make them rounded or spherical as at 120. and 14a and secured to the I inner surface of the housings such as 62a, corresponding to 62 and 60 of Fig. 6, and form rounded or spherical sockets on the outer surfaces of the thermal unit housings 100., corresponding to I0 of Fig. 6, for smooth pivotal support.

In the Fig. 10 form of my invention I provide an automatic universal adjustment of the detector housings I0whereby they will contactively engage selected body surfaces under probe regardless of the differences and variations in contour of the said body surfaces. Further, since the housings are independently-supported, each detector unit will make its own automatic adjustment as it is moved over or placed against selected body areas. To this end I provide a detector unit 204 (which in this case is the thermocouple) in a housing comprising a tubular memher 200 open at the top and bottom, and having the thermocouple member 204 seated at the uppermost end of the tubular member 200, similar to the mounting of the member I8 in the unit 10. As shown in Fig. 10, the undersurface of the member 204 is provided with a detent or socket area 206, which receives therein the upper pointed end of a stem 205, forming part of and "fleets t direction to theieby fpermit automatic adjustment of the detector unit 204 free spect irregularities of thbbdy Sur-' 'liwh'i'c itisplace'dfincoritact. To'm'ain 4; in "contact with the point'of attire-same time to restore the F 3. fri pre a e its r edge ember 200 withtheweb20l. aperture 208 is provided in the Web 201 to permit the free passage of the wires and 92 as shown.

While I have described my invention in specific terms, it will be understood that various changes may be made in size, shape, materials and arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of th invention.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a first detector unit and a second detector unit spaced from said first detector unit a predetermined distance and adapted to overlie the surface of the skin of selected areas of the body of a patient, a main support, a first auxiliary support and a second auxiliary support, means for mounting said first detector unit on said first auxiliary support for pivotal movement with respect thereto and means for mounting said second detector unit on said second auxiliary support for pivotal movement with respect thereto whereby each detector unit may independently automatically pivotally adjust itself to irregularities'in the contour of said selected body areas under examination, and means for mounting said first and second auxiliary supports on said main support in predetermined angular relationship with respect to each other, said last named means including means for manually altering said predetermined angular relationship between said first and second detector units to thereby alter the said predetermined spaced distance between said detector units.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which means are provided for maintaining said first and second auxiliary supports in said altered relative angular relationship.

3. A device according to claim 2 in which the means for mounting each auxiliary support on said main support comprises a resilient member interconnecting said auxiliary support with said main support.

4. A device according to claim 3 in which there is provided indicating means and means for operatively connecting said first and second detector units to said recording means.

5. A device according to claim 4 in which said indicating means is carried by said main support.

6. A device according to claim 5 in which the means for maintaining said auxiliary supports in altered relative angular relationship comprises a plurality of locating opening formed in said main support and locating pins carried by each of said auxiliary supports and adapted for engagement with any selected locating opening.

7. A device of the character described comprising a detector unit, said detector um't being adapted to overlie the surface of the skin of selected areas of the body of a patient, a main for pivotal movement with respect thereto; whereby said detector unit may automatically pivotally adjust itself to irregularities in the contour of said selected body areas under examination, and means for mounting said auxiliary support on said main support in predetermined angular relationship.

8. A device, according to claim 7, in which the means for mounting said auxiliary support on said main support comprises a resilient member interconnecting said auxiliary support with said main support.

9. A device, according to claim 8, in which the means for maintaining said auxiliary support in altered relative angular relationship comprises a plurality of locating openings formed in said main support and locating pins carried by said auxiliary support and adapted for engagemen 5 with any selected locating opening.

NATHAN H. POLSKY.-

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

